Sabai Corner in Phuket

‘Sabai’ means ‘happy’ in Thai and never was a place so aptly named as this bar/restaurant in a ‘secret’ location in the jungle between Nai Harn and Kata. Every new arrival is greeted by the chirpy girls behind the large central bar. Sabai Corner has been built on a bluff overlooking some of the best beach views on the island.

Real Jungle Experience With Seaview

Facing north, you’ll see Kata Noi, Kata Yai, and Karon beaches along with Pu Island and the back of the iconic Big Buddha. Look out to sea and the horizon is the limit. The ‘wow’ factor at Sabai Corner is turned to the absolute max, and that’s before you’ve even taken a seat.

It’s a large place with two covered sections and a spacious terrace but it has to be said that on a sunny day if you try sitting outside you’ll fry very quickly, as great as the views are. So we decide to take a cocktail or three inside and wait for things to cool down, which they do at about six o’clock.

Memorable dining experience

Those of a certain age who claim they ‘cannot remember the sixties’ will love it here as the background music is like an auditory Hall of Fame from that era: The Band, The Beach Boys, CCR, The Byrds, The Moody Blues are all queuing up to refresh your memory and at a reasonable volume, too. But sit on the terrace and the evening’s cicadas as well as the gentle splash of waves on the granite rocks far below provide Mother Nature’s background.

Enjoy delicious food at Sabai Corner

Three partners have built this place from nothing into quite a spectacular project. The American-Italian-Thai trio literally hacked a space out of the jungle a few years back, added a car park, the bar/restaurant, opened a few beers then sat back to wait for people to come.

And they did, so – as with most word-of-mouth places, it enjoys a regular clientele. Staff members have a tangible ‘can-do’ attitude which is demonstrated when they prepare a previously unknown (to them) cocktail and pretty much get it right.